SRI LANKAN NAVY SINKS THREE LARGE LTTE SHIPS IN

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 COLOMBO 001259

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR SCA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/12/2017
TAGS: PGOV PREL PTER PHUM MOPS CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKAN NAVY SINKS THREE LARGE LTTE SHIPS IN
THE INDIAN OCEAN

Classified By: Ambassador Robert O Blake, for reasons 1.4(b,d).


1. (S) SUMMARY: On September 12, Ambassador and Defense
Attache Oxley met with Sri Lanka Navy Commander Wasantha
Karannagoda to discuss the navy's recent operational
successes, including sinking three large Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam (LTTE) weapons supply ships (referred to by the
media as "motherships") approximately 1,200 kilometers
southeast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean on September 10
and 11. Karannagoda stated that the SLN has also destroyed
ten LTTE trawlers and one large transport ship this year.
These successes have likely dealt a "devastating" blow to the
Tiger's weapons smuggling efforts, according to Karannagoda.
The military expects the LTTE to attempt a large retaliatory
attack to prove it has not been defeated, and Karannagoda
speculated that it could occur before LTTE Supreme Commander
Velupillai Prabhakaran's November 27 "Heroes' Day" speech.
To protect against such an attack, Karannagoda said that the
military has identified certain vulnerabilities and are
working to remedy them. He also said that they are tracking
a fourth "mothership" and expect to overtake it in the next
24 hours. Karannagoda inquired about the likelihood of
obtaining additional military support, including the transfer
of one or two Coast Guard cutters, from the USG. END SUMMARY.

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SRI LANKA SINKS THREE LARGE LTTE WEAPONS TRANSPORT SHIPS
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2. (S) The Sri Lanka Navy attacked and sank three large
LTTE weapons ships in international waters approximately
1,200 kilometers southeast of Sri Lanka on September 10 and

11. Sri Lankan media carried the story, including pictures
of the three burning vessels, the following day and reported
that the Navy was still searching for a fourth mothership.
Ambassador and Defense Attache met on September 12 with SLN
Commander Wasantha Karannagoda to discuss the SLN operation
and efforts to track and destroy the fourth ship.
Karannagoda said that the ships contained parts for three
light aircraft, an armored vehicle apparently meant for
transporting Prabhakaran, heavy artillery, ammunition and
fuel. Karannagoda told us that the SLN filmed the attacks
and counted at least 72 secondary explosions while sinking
the second Tiger vessel. The SLN is gathering debris from
the sunken vessels and searching for surviving LTTE cadres.
Media reports speculated that at least 45 LTTE cadres were
killed in the operations. Karannagoda told Ambassador that
the navy is tracking the fourth ship and expect to overtake
it within the next 24 hours, postulating that it may not have
sufficient fuel to evade the Sri Lankan pursuers.


3. (C) In the past year, the SLN has destroyed ten LTTE
trawlers and one other large weapons transport ship,
according to Karannagoda. He said that as a result of these
operations, even prior to the destruction of three of the
Tiger's four motherships, the LTTE's naval capabilities have
been significantly weakened. However, Karannagoda cautioned
that the Tigers still maintain a formidable "navy" and shared
recent intelligence that the LTTE is working on developing
suicide boats capable of traveling between 35 and 40 knots.

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SLN FORTIFYING WEAKNESSES IN ANTICIPATION OF TIGER ATTACK
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4. (S) Ambassador asked Karannagoda whether the military
expected the LTTE to launch a large military assault or
terrorist attack against civilians in the coming months to
demonstrate that they are still a viable threat. Karannagoda
responded that the military anticipated that the LTTE will
seek to demonstrate that it has not been destroyed,
especially in light of its recent defeat in the East and the

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destruction of its motherships. Karannagoda postulated that
the LTTE may attempt a high-profile attack prior to
Prabhakaran's annual "Heroes' Day" speech on November 27. As
a result, the military is working to remedy weaknesses that
it has identified, including sea-based troop transport to
Jaffna and protection of training camps south of Vavuniya
from suicide attacks using the LTTE's remaining light
aircraft. Karannagoda added that military and police were on
heightened alert to guard against attacks on civilians.


5. (S) Karannagoda pointed to the SLN's recent operational
successes as a good example of the military using resources
obtained from the USG to combat terrorism. He specifically
mentioned use of the Coast Guard cutter USS Courageous and
inquired about the possibility of obtaining additional
cutters in the future. Ambassador agreed that the SLN's use
of the Courageous was a concrete example demonstrating Sri
Lanka's effective use of USG technology, but cautioned that
there are many demands from friendly countries for additional
cutters in the near future. Defense Attache added that the
U.S. military has not been able to produce new cutters as
rapidly as expected, necessitating the continued use of
cutters that would otherwise be available for re-sale to
countries like Sri Lanka.


6. (C) COMMENT: The loss of three of its four motherships,
and the possible destruction of the fourth in the next 24
hours, will certainly have a devastating impact on the LTTE's
ability to re-supply its cadres in the Vanni. Destruction of
the motherships represents a critical blow to the Tiger's
global weapons transport assets that cannot be easily or
quickly replaced. Both we and the Sri Lankan government are
concerned that the LTTE may now resort to terrorist tactics
in has used in the past to demonstrate its continuing
viability, including the use of suicide bombers and/or
targeting civilians. Embassy will hold an Emergency Action
Committee meeting to assess the possible threat.
BLAKE